LANCET DEVICE
First Claim
1. A lancet device, comprising:
- a housing;
a shield at least partially disposed within the housing and movably associated therewith;
a lancet disposed in the housing and axially movable through the shield and comprising a puncturing element, the lancet adapted for axial movement between an initial position wherein the puncturing element is disposed within the housing and a puncturing position wherein the puncturing element extends through a forward opening in the shield for a puncturing procedure;
a drive spring disposed between a rearward end of the housing and the lancet for biasing the lancet to the puncturing position; and
an actuator associated with the shield and in interference engagement with the lancet in the initial position;
wherein axial movement of the shield into the housing causes the actuator to move the lancet toward and contact the rearward end of the housing to at least partially compress the drive spring, and wherein upon contact with the rearward end of the housing the force applied to retract the shield into the housing causes failure of the interference engagement between the actuator and the lancet thereby releasing the at least partially compressed drive spring and permitting the drive spring to bias the lancet through the shield to the puncturing position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The lancet device includes a housing and a lancet having a puncturing element. The lancet is disposed within the housing and is adapted for axial movement between an initial or pre-actuated position wherein the puncturing element is retained within the housing, and a puncturing position wherein the puncturing element extends through a forward opening in the housing. The lancet device includes a drive spring disposed within the housing for biasing the lancet toward the puncturing position, and a retraction or return spring for returning the lancet to a position within the housing where the puncturing element is disposed within the housing. The retraction spring thereafter maintains engagement with the lancet to assist in preventing the puncturing element from again projecting outward from the forward opening in the housing.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A lancet device, comprising:
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a housing; a shield at least partially disposed within the housing and movably associated therewith; a lancet disposed in the housing and axially movable through the shield and comprising a puncturing element, the lancet adapted for axial movement between an initial position wherein the puncturing element is disposed within the housing and a puncturing position wherein the puncturing element extends through a forward opening in the shield for a puncturing procedure; a drive spring disposed between a rearward end of the housing and the lancet for biasing the lancet to the puncturing position; and an actuator associated with the shield and in interference engagement with the lancet in the initial position; wherein axial movement of the shield into the housing causes the actuator to move the lancet toward and contact the rearward end of the housing to at least partially compress the drive spring, and wherein upon contact with the rearward end of the housing the force applied to retract the shield into the housing causes failure of the interference engagement between the actuator and the lancet thereby releasing the at least partially compressed drive spring and permitting the drive spring to bias the lancet through the shield to the puncturing position. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A lancet device, comprising
a housing; -
a shield at least partially disposed within the housing and movably associated therewith, the shield comprising at least one internal tab; a lancet disposed in the housing and axially movable through the shield and comprising a puncturing element, the lancet adapted for axial movement between an initial position wherein the puncturing element is disposed within the housing and a puncturing position wherein the puncturing element extends through a forward opening in the shield for a puncturing procedure, the lancet in interference engagement with the internal tab in the shield in the initial position; and a drive spring disposed between a rearward end of the housing and the lancet for biasing the lancet to the puncturing position; wherein axial movement of the shield into the housing causes the lancet to move toward and contact the rearward end of the housing due to the interference engagement with the shield internal tab to at least partially compress the drive spring, and wherein upon contact with the rearward end of the housing the force applied to retract the shield into the housing causes failure of the internal tab removing the interference engagement and releasing the at least partially compressed drive spring to bias the lancet through the shield to the puncturing position. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A lancet device, comprising:
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a housing; a shield at least partially disposed within the housing and movably associated therewith; a lancet disposed in the housing and axially movable through the shield and comprising a puncturing element, the lancet adapted for axial movement between an initial position wherein the puncturing element is disposed within the housing and a puncturing position wherein the puncturing element extends through a forward opening in the shield for a puncturing procedure; a drive spring disposed between a rearward end of the housing and the lancet for biasing the lancet to the puncturing position; and an actuator in interference engagement with the lancet in the initial position and maintaining the drive spring in an at least partially compressed state in the initial position of the lancet, the actuator comprising a sleeve portion associated with the housing and at least one elastic element in interference engagement with the lancet; wherein axial movement of the shield into the housing causes the shield to move the elastic element radially outward from the lancet releasing the interference engagement therewith and thereby releasing the at least partially compressed drive spring to bias the lancet through the shield to the puncturing position. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A lancet device, comprising:
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a housing; a lancet disposed in the housing and axially movable through the housing and comprising a puncturing element, the lancet adapted for axial movement between an initial position wherein the puncturing element is disposed within the housing and a puncturing position wherein the puncturing element extends through a front opening in the housing for a puncturing procedure; a drive spring disposed between a rearward end of the housing and the lancet for biasing the lancet to the puncturing position, the drive spring held in an at least partially compressed state between the rearward end of the housing and the lancet by an interference engagement between the lancet and housing; and an actuator pivotally connected to the housing and in contact engagement with the lancet in the initial position for causing release of the drive spring; wherein movement of the actuator causes pivotal movement thereof into the housing causing at least a portion of the lancet to move downward in the housing until the lancet is released of interference engagement with the housing thereby releasing the at least partially compressed drive spring to bias the lancet through the housing to the puncturing position. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A lancet device, comprising:
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a housing comprising an internal cam surface at a rearward end thereof; a shield at least partially disposed within the housing and movably associated therewith; a lancet disposed in the housing and axially movable through the shield and comprising a puncturing element, the lancet adapted for axial movement between an initial position wherein the puncturing element is disposed within the housing and a puncturing position wherein the puncturing element extends through a forward opening in the shield for a puncturing procedure; a drive spring disposed between the rearward end of the housing and the lancet for biasing the lancet to the puncturing position; and an actuator associated with a proximal end of the shield disposed in the housing, and in interference engagement with the lancet in the initial position thereof; wherein axial movement of the shield into the housing causes the actuator to move the lancet toward the rearward end of the housing to at least partially compress the drive spring while simultaneously interacting with the internal cam surface, and wherein continued interaction with the internal cam surface during the shield axial movement moves the actuator to a position within the housing where the interference engagement between the actuator and the lancet is released, thereby releasing the at least partially compressed drive spring and permitting the drive spring to bias the lancet through the shield to the puncturing position.
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10. The lancet device of claim 10, wherein the actuator comprises a plate member slidably associated with the shield proximal end and defining a keyhole for permitting passage of the lancet therethrough to release the interference engagement.
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11. A lancet device, comprising:
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a housing; a lancet disposed in the housing and axially movable through the housing and comprising a puncturing element, the lancet adapted for axial movement between an initial position wherein the puncturing element is disposed within the housing and a puncturing position wherein the puncturing element extends through a front opening in the housing for a puncturing procedure; a drive spring disposed between a rearward end of the housing and the lancet for biasing the lancet to the puncturing position; and an actuator associated with the housing and in interference engagement with the lancet in the initial position, the interference engagement between actuator and lancet maintaining the drive spring in an at least partially compressed state between the rearward end of the housing and the lancet in the initial position; wherein movement of the actuator into the housing moves the actuator to a position within the housing where the interference engagement between the actuator and the lancet is released, thereby releasing the at least partially compressed drive spring and permitting the drive spring to bias the lancet through the shield to the puncturing position. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A lancet device, comprising:
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a housing; a lancet disposed in the housing and axially movable through the housing and comprising a puncturing element, the lancet adapted for axial movement between an initial position wherein the puncturing element is disposed within the housing and a puncturing position wherein the puncturing element extends through a front opening in the housing for a puncturing procedure; a drive spring disposed between a rearward end of the housing and the lancet for biasing the lancet to the puncturing position, the drive spring held in an at least partially compressed state between the rearward end of the housing and the lancet by an interference engagement between the lancet and housing; and an actuator pivotally connected to the housing and adapted to sever the interference engagement between the lancet and housing for causing release of the drive spring; wherein movement of the actuator causes pivotal movement thereof into the housing until the actuator severs the interference engagement between the lancet and housing thereby releasing the at least partially compressed drive spring to bias the lancet through the housing to the puncturing position. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A lancet device, comprising:
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a housing comprising an internal actuation member; a shield at least partially disposed within the housing and movably associated therewith; a lancet disposed in the housing and axially movable through the shield and comprising a puncturing element, the lancet adapted for axial movement between an initial position wherein the puncturing element is disposed within the housing and a puncturing position wherein the puncturing element extends through a forward opening in the shield for a puncturing procedure; a drive spring disposed between a rearward end of the housing and the lancet for biasing the lancet to the puncturing position; and a rotation element, the lancet in interference engagement with the rotation element in the initial position; wherein axial movement of the shield into the housing causes the actuation member to rotate the rotation element relative to the lancet to a release position releasing the interference engagement between the lancet and rotation element thereby permitting the drive spring to bias the lancet through the shield to the puncturing position. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification